The present invention relates to a bath tub spout, and more specifically to shower diverted spouts. In the past, bath tub spouts were primarily used to fill bath tubs, but eventually these spouts were built with valves to divert the water to a shower head. Most of these spouts have vertical sliding gates with handles that are pulled up, to lift the gate past the tub filling passage, and force the water up to the shower head.
Although spouts manufactured with this construction, function as intended, they generally fail to divert all of the water to the shower head due to leakage past the diverter valve. This results in significant waste of hot water. Furthermore, these spouts are limited in their uses. Basically, conventional spouts merely fill the bathtub or divert the water to the shower head. The spouts fail to be adaptable to other types of uses.
One use that is particularly convenient is to have a bidet spray situated within the bathtub. Such sprays within a bathtub are generally far less messy than sprays within a separate toilet bowl. There are a number of patents within the field of bath fixtures directed to a lower body spray.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,123,808 to Guarrera relates to a bidet spray and hose that are connected to a shower outlet once the shower head is removed from the outlet. Although, this fixture serves its intended purpose, the device is highly impractical, because a person must reconnect the shower head or bidet spray unit every time he/she wishes to use the bidet spray or shower, respectively.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,858,252 to Ejchorszt relates to a retrofit shower head assembly that includes a coventional head-level shower head and a lower spray unit. This device really isn't directed to providing a bidet spray within a shower or tub, because the spray comes out horizontally from the elongated shower assembly. Bidet sprays need to be directed upward toward a person's genitals in order to work most effectively.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,375,532 to Gellmann relates to a shower head attachment that can additionally divert the water to a lower spray head that may be used as a bidet spray. Although Gellmann's device allows a person to use the bath spout, shower, or bidet spray, it has many disadvantages in everyday use. First, the entire attachment device is expensive because it requires the purchase of two special spray heads, additional pipe, and an extra diverter valve. It cannot be used with conventional shower heads because it requires a special fitting for the lower spray head. Second, the device must be attached to the wall at two points and its installation is complicated. Third, the device is ungainly with its exterior design. Aesthetically, most people wish to have all plumbing behind the bathroom walls with only the tub fixtures and shower head extending out of the wall. Finally, the device has a complicated water diversion process requiring a person to operate both faucets and three diversion valves to get the water through the right spray head or bath spout, at the right temperature and pressure. Most people simply don't have the patience for fine tuning the water supply through one of Gellmann's three fixtures.
There has been a need within the field of bath fixtures for an improved bath spout that has an effective shower diverter, and has additional uses, as well.